Malachy Agbo

By this time last year, no one in Enugu State had envisaged that the state will play host to the elite Nigeria Bar Association’s 2025 Annual General Conference. But fortune favours the bold. Indeed, bold is a word that aptly captures Governor Peter Mbah’s ambitious goal to make Enugu the “conferencing capital of Africa”.

So, once the announcement pronouncing Enugu as the new venue for the NBA Conference was made, it was a case of what happens when preparedness meets opportunity.

The choice of Enugu was necessitated by the decision to move the venue out of Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The underpinnings are now history. But the reality was that within four months of that surprise announcement, the 26th AGC became a reality. The Enugu option worked because the city was ready to absorb over 20,000 lawyers.  

NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, acknowledged this fact when he said that Enugu was a befitting venue for the theme of the conference, “Stand Out, Stand Tall”. “Enugu is the capital of the South East region and also the home of hospitality, beauty, and peace. That was why wae chose Enugu State to host our conference after moving from Port Harcourt,” he said.

Like one of the Igbo proverbs would say that obodo adironma bu uru ndi nze this may be difficult to translate exactly, literarily means that a community is not at peace is to the benefit of the leaders. Since the end of the conference on the 29th of August, 2025, many people in Enugu State are counting their gains and blessings. Some analysts estimate that economic activities during the seven-day period generated over N7b (Seven billion naira) in trade and services. 

Once the announcement was made, a bazaar of sorts ensued in the state. All the hotels within and close to the metropolis were fully booked. The intense demand resulted in hotels and apartments increasing their room rates by as much as over 50 percent. Rates hovered between N50,000 to N100,000 and even more per night. Still, as the date drew nearer, the surge became palpable and economics of demand and supply set in, necessitating some unfinished hotels to fast track their works to accommodate the visiting lawyers and sundry associates. The initial worry was whether there were enough rooms to absorb the number. But eventually, everyone that visited during that period secured a room. There’s no doubt about this: the hotel operators wished it never ended; it seemed Christmas came early for them. 

The restaurants and bars in the city were not left out in the frenzy. Some had to hire more staff to meet burgeoning demands. As one set of customers were leaving, others were walking in. One major constant indicator was the enthusiasm among the visitors to relish the Enugu delicacies – nkwobi, ishi ewu, abacha, ugba and okpa. Many people took the recipe home, planning to replicate the enjoyment in their various homes and families. 

Even though the mammy market was a make-shift facility to cater to the needs of lawyers within the precincts of Okpara Square, it was really a market in every sense. There was no closing time. The chairs were always occupied, as hands repeatedly hauled food from simmering pots and food coolers to plates. The market was saturated with assorted drinks, and the weather was clement throughout. Similarly, all the popular eateries were swarmed from evening time till late in the night. Once you had a location, people visited and repeated. It wasn’t surprising though, because Enugu has a teeming number of restaurants reputed for their specialties and tantalising dishes that leave customers literally spoiled for choice. 

It was no different for cab operators, as they steadily chauffeured people from their hotels to the Enugu International Conference Center, and to various destinations of their choice. Many also used the opportunity to visit friends and relatives who live in Enugu. Even commercial tricycle operators were very busy. Many lawyers chose to explore the city sitting in a “Keke” as they meandered through inner city streets – not for lack of fund, but for the thrill and fun. Many relished the breezy, open air experience of commercial tricycles, especially in the evenings and at night.  

In the same vein, the inter-state transport sector also experienced the windfall. Many transport companies smiled to the bank too. As the land transport was patronised, so too were the airlines. Many even increased their fares and frequency to Enugu to tap into the opportunity. 

The ancillary service sector cashed out as well. Virtually all the fuel stations in the city experienced a surge in sales. Both the visiting commuters, taxi drivers, Keke and small buses were making rapid shuttles and were refilling their tanks to meet demands. Within seven days, most of the fuel stations exhausted their stock and restocked at nights – a deliberate policy to ease traffic. 

As the conference was ongoing, many lawyers used the opportunity to visit their loved ones. Those who had been postponing their visit to friends and families, the conference offered great opportunity for them. Some old classmates re-united. In such visits, cash exchanged hands. 

Telecommunication sector was also busy. The surge in telecommunication consumption kept the operators busy in order to ensure that call drops were minimal. The social media was awash with real-time streaming and other posts. Many who could not make it physically to Enugu followed the event via social media. From Facebook to X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, WhatsApp, Tik Tok, etc, there was a regular stream of content from Enugu.

The list of the direct beneficiaries is endless. But the import of the seven-day influx of guests was a foretold vision that crystalised into reality. Enugu was prepared for such huge conference. According to Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, the government of Dr. Peter Mbah had strategically prepared Enugu to host conferences like that of the NBA and many others.

“The Enugu State Government under Dr. Peter Mbah, in its design and thinking around tourism, hospitality, and economic growth, had already factored in most of what you are seeing in preparation right now. Even without the NBA’s plan to come, we had already started planning what would happen if the NBA came here, if the Nigerian Society of Engineers came here, or others,” he stated.

Onyia also recounted some developments that had earlier enhanced Enugu’s capacity to host an event such as this: Enugu Air that was commissioned few weeks ago; the launch of 100 CNG buses and five modern transport terminals; the reconstructed and revamped Hotel Presidential unveiled days before the NBA conference; and other significant projects. “We want to ensure that when people come here, they move around easily, feel safe, and even love to live here. We are grateful to the NBA for choosing Enugu and believe that they will have a memorable experience during their stay,” he said.

This much was acknowledged by NBA members. Chief Mike Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, said he was familiar with the state over the years and it would be evil for anyone to deny the obvious transformations under Governor Mbah.

“I come to Enugu every year. So, I am not a stranger at all to Enugu State. It will be difficult for me to deny that I have not seen some groundbreaking projects. To deny your transformative leadership will be sinful, and I do not want to be a sinner,” he said.

Ozekhome wondered how Mbah was able to “do these great things in a highly politicised environment infested by political buccaneers, and in an environment where there is more politicking than governance.”

Another lawyer, Senator Dino Melaye, commended Mbah for emerging as a pacesetter in good governance in two years. “I am particularly and personally impressed with the governor of Enugu State because all these things have been done in two years. I only can see that you think out of the box,” he said.

Melaye couldn’t have said it better, with regard to “thinking out of the box”. The hosting of NBA AGC in Enugu successfully is part of the connecting dots of Governor Mbah’s economic vision. “Our vision is to grow Enugu’s economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion, to reduce the poverty headcount to zero, and to make Enugu the preferred destination in Nigeria for business, for tourism, and for living. We imagined a state that, within eight years, would be completely unrecognisable from the one we inherited,” he said. 

These words are not mere posturing. The lawyers who visited Enugu were simply awed by what they had experienced.

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